Disclaimer: None of them belong to me, sadly. Thank you Tite Kubo for letting me play with your toys. I didn't break any of them, the Renji was that way when I found them.

A/N : Takes place at some undetermined length of time after the established storyline. But just for the sake of discussion lets just say that it's long enough that the exact details are history, yet not far enough in the future that we have all sorts of changes from the present. Whatever. You know what mean. I'm picturing them around 15 and 17.

Yachiru's POV

I was never in a hurry to grow up. Why should I be? I had everything I could have wanted already. I was a Vice Captain, I had the best captain ever and of course, the Eleventh was the best family I could have asked for. Unconventional, yes, but that made it no less perfect in my eyes.

When that growing up finally did happen, it wasn't always easy. Ken-chan was a pain every step of the way. Not that he was all over-protective father figure... at least not all the time. He teased me about my boobs and about being too girly when I let my hair grow out. He wanted to know when I was going to get boy crazy and start acting more like Yumichika. Once he figured out that nothing much was changing other than my size and the occasional ability to be serious, things settled back down.

Who knows how long things would stay the same, but for the moment, life had settled into a nice simple routine. The Eleventh squad had a capable vice captain, I was learning tons more things than even I had managed to learn by example and I was still more than happy with the way my life was playing out.

Not that everyone was content to leave it at that. As long as I could remember, people had looked at me speculatively and wondered about my future. Would I turn out to live up to my potential? Would I grow into my role as Vice Captain? Would I ever get a sense of direction and stop riding around on Ken-chan's shoulders?

We're still waiting on those last two. Ikkaku says I can get lost in my own bathroom. Ken-chan says I have to start walking when I get too heavy. For the record, neither of those two things has happened yet. Just so you know.

I was hanging out on Ken-chan's shoulder, and we were on our way back from some sort of meeting about something. Honestly, I can't remember what every meeting we have to go to is about. Our squad doesn't have much to worry about unless someone's attacking, or amassing for an attack, or Ryoka are invading the Seireitei, or rogue captains are up to no good. So, I tend to zone out sometimes unless it directly concerns us. Since none of those things happen all that often, I think it was safe to say it was just some sort of blah blah blah meeting. Maybe Captain Clownface had been rambling on about something new he dreamed up. That does happen a lot.

Then Ken-chan stopped walking and I quit thinking about what I was going to have for dinner and rambling about how it was time Ken-chan had another barbecue. I peeked over his shoulder and there stood Captain Hitsugaya. I didn't remember him being at the meeting, and I probably would have noticed. Honestly, I don't think he'd grown as much as I had. Then again, they do say that girls grow faster.

He's another of those things that people speculate about when my name and future come up. For some reason, they just think it would be so cute and just oh so sweet if we liked each other. As if. I do not consider the only viable option in my age bracket as being cute or sweet. Honestly, I would rather eat dirt. Sure, he's a captain and therefore, I couldn't kick his ass with one hand tied behind my back, and that is a plus. He's also so serious all the time that it makes my head hurt. There's also the chip he carries on his shoulder that must weigh more than I do.

He's young and people use words like precocious, prodigy and genius. He's also painfully proper, acts oh so loftily better than everyone and seems kind of awkward. I really used to tease him a lot when I was younger. I thought he was silly and went out of my way to embarrass him and tease him. I don't anymore. It just made everyone smile and think it meant I liked him. Ugh, that is not something I want. So, I just used a little psychology and gave the same as I got from him. I can be proper and act like I have a stick up my ass too, you know.

Poor Hitsugaya. He actually looked a little rough. Like a hollow had been chewing on him, or maybe Rangiku, though why she would have been chewing on him I couldn't guess. You never can tell with Rangiku. "Captain Kenpachi, could I have a moment of your time? I'd like to ask a favor of you."

Ooh, asking Ken-chan for a favor could be good. Maybe he'd ask for help with whatever had been beating him up. We might get to fight something good if it was rumpling up the Tenth's captain!

I crossed my arms on Ken-chan's shoulder and got all settled in to listen without saying a word. It's proper etiquette for vice captains to keep their mouths firmly closed unless captains address them personally. None of my usual commentary.

Hitsugaya looked right at me. Oh, can we not speak in front of the subordinates?

"Actually, I was hoping that you could spare Vice Captain Kusajishi."

Ken-chan glanced back over his shoulder at me. "Can I spare you?"

I swatted a spike of his hair out of my way with a jingle. "Yumi can finish the paperwork." I slid down to my feet gracefully with a jingle of my own. For my last birthday, Yumi and Ikkaku had given me a pair of anklets with the same bells that Ken-chan wore. It was their devout hope I would be less stealthy with them on. It hadn't made that much of a difference, but I really liked the bells anyway.

I stepped under Ken-chan's arm and bowed formally to Hitsugaya. "Yes sir, Captain Hitsugaya?"

It almost sounded like he sighed under his breath. "I am going to the world of the living on a mission to track some unusual activity."

Activity? "What kind of activity? Hollows? Arrancar?"

"At this point, we're unsure, but it needs to be investigated and to have a close eye on it." He looked right past me again and up at Ken-chan. How annoying. "I think your vice captain would be a very valuable resource to this particular mission. Rangiku speaks highly of her stealth abilities."

Ken-chan made his thoughtful noise. "The experience might do her good. She could use some independent action."

"We'll be leaving as soon as the arrangements are made." With a nod Hitsugaya, turned on his heel and stalked off.

Ken-chan smiled down at me. "You know, I think you're taller than he is."

I made a face at him and stuck out my tongue. "His hair is taller."

'Hm," he kept walking like we had never been interrupted and I had to scramble to catch him and jump on his back. "If that boy so much as looks at you in the wrong way, just let me know and I'll gut him like a carp."

I laughed and hugged his neck. "Captain Hitsugaya has never done anything improper in his life. And Ken-chan? I can gut him all by myself if I want."

"I'm sure, but I would enjoy it more."

~*~

I kind of hurried to get this posted for her birthday. I promise there is more in the works very soon. Please review and be kind. I haven't posted any fiction in years anywhere and I'm probably rusty.